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Council approves payment to Newman Smith; municipal-services relocation paused pending further study
Summary
Council approved a payment request to Newman Smith Architecture for the Event Hub contract. Staff said the municipal-services relocation portion of the contract was paused due to HVAC/electrical issues and that the city has paid only a small portion of that component.
Oak Park City Council approved a payment request Jan. 6 to Newman Smith Architecture for architectural services tied to an Event Hub project and discussion of an associated municipal-services relocation.
Deputy City Manager Dave DeCoster told the council the municipal-services move was originally part of Newman Smith's contract but staff paused that portion months earlier after finding unexpected HVAC, electrical and mechanical issues at the proposed facility. "We didn't want to throw good money after bad," DeCoster said, adding the city has paid "about 18% of that smaller portion of the contract" and paused work while staff investigates alternatives.
City Manager Eric Tungate and DeCoster said options include retrofitting space in the old city hall or revisiting the vacated community-center footprint, though staff warned some structural and mechanical systems are similar across sites and repairs could still be costly. DeCoster noted space constraints at the current municipal building and said staff are seeking the most affordable, functional option.
After staff explanations and questions from council members, the council voted to approve the payment request to Newman Smith. Council directed staff to continue studying relocation options and to report back with cost and feasibility information.
